Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has been handed a 10-match ban by the Football Association after biting the arm of Chelsea player Branislav Ivanovic during a recent Premier League game.

An FA statement said: “A three-person independent regulatory commission today upheld the FA’s claim that a suspension of three matches was clearly insufficient and the player will serve a further seven first-team matches in addition to the standard three. The suspension begins with immediate effect.”

In the immediate aftermath of the decision, Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre said both the club and player were “shocked and disappointed” by the “severity” of the FA’s decision. In a statement, he added that Liverpool would “await the written reasons tomorrow before making any further comment.”

The ban means Suarez will miss Liverpool’s four remaining games of this season, before serving a further six game suspension at the start of the next.

It is expected that the Uruguay international will fight the lengthy ban by denying the FA’s claim that a standard three-match ban is insufficient given the extraordinary nature of the incident. He has until midday on Friday to appeal the additional suspension.